Brief Description:
The hike
is a beautiful, easy 3-mile trail along the Hiwassee River. It can be
either a 3-mile or a 6-mile hike, depending on time and car shuttle.
Please bring gloves, clippers, water and a snack. Trash bags will be
provided. We will meet at the Childers’ Creek Trailhead at 9:00 a.m

Directions:
If coming from Cleveland, take Highway 64 east to Highway 411 and turn
left (north). Go to and through Benton, and turn right onto Route 30
towards Reliance. When you reach Webb’s Store on the left, take a left,
cross the bridge, then cross the railroad tracks. Turn immediately
right at Rosie’s Restaurant (closed) and follow the road until you reach
Childer’s Creek, marked by a sign on the right

Post-Trip Report: It was a gorgeous day as three hikers set
forth to clean up the three mile “Adopt a Trail” section of the John
Muir Trail along the Hiwassee River. The trail was clipped and snipped
until we came to our first obstacle: a massive blow down. As the song
goes, “couldn’t go around it, couldn’t go over it, couldn’t go under
it….must go through it.” Using only hand saws and lopers, we cut
multiple
branches
until the trail was cleared. We saw two snakes and many wildflowers
including yellow trilliums, fire pinks, dwarf irises, native mountain
laurel, corn flowers, violets and may-apples; then we approached our
next obstacle: a huge flood zone covering the trail. We cleared the
alternate trail and showed several hikers the way around the water.
There was very little trash collected. Hike Leader: Deborah Flower.
Hikers: Rebecca Levings and Dave Flower. Canine hiker; Abby Flower.